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Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Three Top Potential Giants Trade Assets Named, But Do They Make Any Sense?

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Stephen Lebitsch | Last updated Jun 1, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The NFL offseason has reached a point where the focus shifts away from teams like the New York Giants, who aim to recruit talent to their organization, and towards evaluating that collection of talent to decide who among them will make the ultimate regular-season roster this fall.

While the mass influx of personnel moves might be over after free agency and the draft have passed, the Giants are one team that still finds itself with a few lingering needs in its locker room that were never fully addressed.

The quarterback position stays at the forefront until one of their arms, a combination of Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, or the rookie Jaxson Dart, steps up to secure the throne for the foreseeable future. Still, there are also weaknesses along the offensive line and at the second level of the defense that lack the quality depth the Giants could use.

So, how else can General Manager Joe Schoen fill these last needs before the season starts? Well, he doesn't hold much cap space (about $6.37 million, according to Spotrac). Still, the Giants do have some current pieces that Bleacher Report recently tabbed as top potential trade assets who could get moved in exchange for more valuable players.

Those players listed are outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, quarterback Jameis Winston, and slot wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, who are among the most important players on the roster.

“The pressure is on Brian Daboll to get things turned around. That means either getting one more good season out of Russell Wilson or getting Jaxson Dart playing at a high level quickly,” the article said.”

“The Giants have the least amount of cap space in the league, so some kind of move should be coming to alleviate some of that. Kayvon Thibodeaux is a prime trade candidate after they drafted Abdul Carter, but Jameis Winston could be appealing to another team as well.”

Thibodeaux, the Giants fifth-overall pick in 2022, has been a constant subject of trade rumors this offseason even after the franchise bought into his fifth-year option on his rookie deal. Then, the team drafted Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter as the No. 3 pick, and it puts Thibodeaux’s job in jeopardy if the rookie comes in and outperforms him early in camp or the season.

The Oregon alum produced a breakout campaign in 2023, posting 50 total tackles and 11.5 sacks in 17 games that appeared as if he was rounding the corner into an elite NFL pass rusher for the Giants. His 2024 numbers showed some regression and reduced availability due to injuries, resulting in 5.5 sacks and only one forced turnover.

The Giants are gearing up to ride the strength of their defensive front to stifle opponents and assist the offense in having a shot to compete this season. Thibodeaux is currently an important part of that four-player equation with Carter, Dexter Lawrence, and Brian Burns. Still, it’s the most likely scenario where he could be dealt with if injuries recur or Carter produces more.

One could argue that shipping off Winston makes the most sense of the trio, as he barely figures into the Giants’ plans for the quarterback position. Schoen signed Winston as an insurance policy in the event the Giants were unsuccessful in landing a more proven veteran, and now they have one in Wilson, who is primed to be the day-one starter until he loses the job.

Should that happen, the Giants will likely jump right over Winston to try to save the ship with Dart in what would presumably be a desperate move by the regime that is currently on the hot seat entering 2025. Dart is their secret weapon to avoid the worst fate, and they will see live action in blue before Winston does.

There was a wide consensus that the New Orleans Saints could have been a trade target after Derek Carr elected to retire amid lingering shoulder issues. The Saints now seem to head for hedging their season with rookie Tyler Shough, who they selected No. 9 overall, but there could always be a need for a spare quarterback as camps unfold and injuries sneak up on teams.

If the Giants find a partner, perhaps they can scour some of that team’s additional assets for players that better fit their toughest needs, but they might just have to dig deep into the resources they have to make it work this season. Trading Robinson shouldn’t even be on the table, given his starting slot receiver role, where he finished as the second-most active target behind Malik Nabers in 2024.

If the offseason has shown us anything, it’s that Schoen and the front office have found creative ways to build out their roster and fill in the needs that matter most. That job isn’t done yet and could continue into the final days before kickoff, so everything has to be up for discussion, as this is a make-or-break year for so many in the Giants organization.

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